1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a light emitting semiconductor device on a conducting carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
Improvements in the manufacturing of semiconductor materials in the Group-III nitride material system has helped advance the development of GaN/AlGaN optoelectronic devices such as high efficiency blue, green and ultra-violet (UV) light emitting diodes (LED or LEDs) and lasers, and electronic devices such as high power microwave transistors. Some of the advantages of GaN is its 3.4 eV wide direct bandgap, high electron velocity (2×107 cm/s), high breakdown field (2×106 V/cm) and the availability of heterostructures.
Typical LEDs can comprise a p-type doped layer and an n-type doped layer such that when a bias is applied across the doped layers the LED emits light. Other LEDs can comprise an active region sandwiched between the n- and p-type doped layers such that when a bias is applied across the doped layer electrons and holes are injected into the active region, where they recombine to generate light. LED light is typically generated omnidirectionally in an “emission sphere” with light radiating in all directions within the material that makes up the LED structure. LEDs are efficient at generating light, but the light has difficulties emitting from the LED to the surroundings because of the differences in the indexes of refraction between the LED material and surroundings. In an LED having layers and regions of a typical thickness, only the photons formed in a cone about 20° wide in the direction of a surface exit the structure. The remainder of the light is trapped within the structure of the LED, and can eventually become absorbed into the semiconductor material, which reduces the overall emitting efficiency of the LED.
Different methods have been developed for improving the light emitting efficiency of typical LEDs, some of which include using non-planar shaped LEDs and roughening the emission surface of an LED. Both of these approaches improve emitting efficiency by providing an LED surface that has different angles such that when light from the LED's active region reaches the surface with varying angles between the light rays and the surface. This increases the possibility that the light will be within the 20° cone when it reaches the surface such that it emits from the LED. If it is not within the 20° angle, the light is reflected at different angles, increasing the likelihood that the light will be within the cone the next time it reaches the surface.
LEDs can be fabricated on a substrate, such as SiC and then flip-chip mounted so that the substrate becomes the primary emitting surface of the LED. Light generated from the LEDs active region is largely coupled into the higher index of refraction SiC substrate from which it must then be extracted. Light can become trapped within the substrate by total internal reflection (TIR), which reduces the overall emission efficiency of the device.
Light extraction can be improved by shaping the SiC substrate, such as by tapering the substrate side walls. One disadvantage of this approach is that shaping the substrate requires the cross sectional area to be reduced locally, leading to higher series resistance. In addition, the shaping of the substrate must scale in all dimensions as the lateral dimension of the chip is increased. This requires the SiC substrate to be made thicker as the lateral dimensions of the chip are increased to accommodate a proportionally longer taper of the side wall. There are other disadvantages to having a SiC substrate, such as difficulties in contacting the n-type layer. In addition, some embodiments having a SiC substrate, a conducting buffer layer is included between the substrate and the n-type layer to spread current to the n-type layer. This buffer layer, however, can absorb power during LED operation.